Recently, a mobile terminal has become an indispensable gadget in modern society and is widely used regardless of age or sex, prompting service providers and terminal manufacturers to competitively develop products (or services) in order to differentiate themselves from competitors.
For example, the mobile terminal has evolved into a multimedia apparatus that can provide a phonebook, games, a Short Message Service (SMS), electronic (e)-mail, a Motion Picture Expert Group Audio Layer-3 (MP3) player, a schedule management function, a digital camera, wireless Internet service, and other various features.
To use the above-mentioned features, a user of the mobile terminal selects a plurality of menus and uses a relevant feature.
For example, when a user of the mobile terminal intends to use a phonebook feature, the user may need to view recent communication records or enter a phonebook menu. That is, when the user of the mobile terminal intends to use a phonebook feature using recent communication records, the user selects a menu showing the recent communication records, views a list of phone numbers to which phone communication or short message services have been transmitted/received recently, clicks a desired item, and decides whether to send a short message or make a phone call. A method of using a phonebook feature by executing the phonebook menu similarly needs to display a menu showing contents of a phonebook, and then perform the same procedure.
The above-described methods have a problem of having to enter a mode for performing a relevant function by performing a plurality of menu selecting steps. When connection with a relevant counterpart has not been made frequently, the face of the counterpart may not be recognized with the name while a phonebook function is performed, making it difficult to place a phone call or transmit a short message.
The above-described problem not only applies in the phonebook context but also occurs throughout the entire operation control (function control) of the mobile terminal, decreasing the convenience of the mobile terminal.
Therefore, an apparatus and a method for controlling functions of a mobile terminal that resolve the above-described problems are desired.